Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-02-04
ARABIAN TRIBAL LIFE.
What a Traveller Saw Near sidon, in Syria
A Pleasant Visit.

What a Traveller Saw Near Sidon, in Syria
A Pleasant Visit.
The Ghawarinch at this season live
in huts made of rush mating; for sides,
roof and floor. These villages of cane
are generally near the marsh. The win
ter houses of stone are nearer the hills.
One of the summer encampments pre-
sents lively scene. Your correspond
ent rode ahead of his party on the way
up from the sea of Liberals, on the look
out for good camping place for Sum
day. After galloping several miles along
the level beaten track he saw a troop
of about a score of men, each with long
spear. They were behaving like q lot of
schoolboys let out of school, on their way
home. l rode up near enough to study
their behavior little, with no intention
of intruding, however; as l came in
sight the whole troop halted, drew up in
military array and awaited me. AS
rode upI found them rude-loolxing
company, but with merry look in their
eyes. They received my greeting cor
daily, almost hilariously and closed up
around me. Their long spears took to
be fishing-spears at first, which caused
them some amusement. These spears are
long, ugly-looking weapons, and are
carried merely for defense. These men
were laborers returning from the field.
In mock heroic fashion one of them
handed me spear and showed me how
to shoulder it. They proposed to escort
me into the village in the military
fashion. They were curious concerning
all the details of my saddle and equip
ments, and especially my field glass and
compass. They were certainly the most
unsophisticated human beings 1 ever
met. They were all Moslems, and were
amused at my pronunciation of the first
surat or chapter of the Koran. They
could not imagine why was travelling
alone and seemingly unarmed. When
told them that my camp was coming be-
hind, they volunteered to show me the
best place to camp and to furnish food.
As we neared the village we saw a
motley array of life. Hundreds of cat
tie, buffaloes, sheep, goats, camels and
horses were returning from their pas
lures to the camp. Dogs were barking;
young calves were cutting up all sorts Of
capers; young men were racing
horses over the level sward and bringing
them short up; children were running
about; women in bright dresses were
churning by means of goat-skin sus-
pended by means of two upright poles
or else were performing other household
duties. A flock of ewes were tied UP in
long row half on each side standing
facing each other and secured by long
rope which fastened their necks together,
and women were milking them from be-
hind. The men of the camp were mostly
idle and smoking long pipes, although
during the day we saw many men plow-
ing.
We passed a pleasant Sunday with
those people and found them kind and
orderly neighbors, and whatever eatables
they had were at our disposal. The time
will come when this fertile plain will
yield an enormous crop. The Jordan
descends 700 feet from the lake of HUI
leh to Tiberias in less than ten miles.
The whole marsh can be drained, and
the innumerable streams of water which
burst out all around the plain will en-
able the farmer to cultivate the soil the
year round.-Syria Cor. Hartford Cour-
ant.